


Seven Dancing Courtiers

by Twincityhacker



Category: Atop the Fourth Wall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:40:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24810202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twincityhacker/pseuds/Twincityhacker
Summary: A gentle fusion of Atop the Fourth Wall and the fairy tale of the 12 Dancing Princesses.





	Seven Dancing Courtiers

Once upon a time in land far away, there was a Kingdom called Rosebud which was ruled by the good and just Queen Margaret. But she was an unhappy ruler.

For, you see, all of her lands and all the people who lived upon them were under a deep curse by a wicked sorcerer. He cursed her people, so they did not act upon their own wills. By day they would act normally but by night they would dance their shoes to pieces.

So Queen Margaret let it be known far and wide if a soul could discover what curse upon her kingdom they would receive half of it.

But if they could not solve the mystery it would mean death.

So a prince came to try his fortune. He spent the first day rapping at the room to determine there were no secret passages. He spent the second night outside the room. And the third night inside the room itself.

By the fourth night the prince was dead.

Royalty, nobles, and commoners tried to solve the mystery of the seven dancing courtiers.

Then one day a former crown agent came into the kingdom. He had been betrayed by his former ligelord, and being empty of purpose decided to try to try his luck at discovering the curse of the Kingdom of Rosebud.

One night on his journey he built a fire, and noticed a small brocade lizard had slipped up to it.

"Ho there, traveler," she said, "Might I share your fire?"

"Of course you may." said the old soldier. "My name is Alan."

"Mine is Eliza. Are you heading to the capital?”

“Yes, I am headed to the castle to try the Challenge.” 

"You seem like a good man, why do you risk yourself in this way?"

"I had once considered myself a patriot, but those I owed allegiance to used me cruelly - and what is worse - used me to hurt others.

"Like a discarded tool I find myself at a loss, and think that at least this puts me to this one last use."

Eliza thought about this, and then replied "I see I cannot persuade you, but I can help you on this task. The first is that you should drink no wine nor break no bread while in the castle that you have not brought with you. 

Then Eliza pulled something from the tiny bag she wore.

"And take this ring. It shall make you invisible to mundane and supernatural sight."

Alan took the ring and slipped it into his pocket. “How did you come upon this knowledge?”

“Those cursed are my family. I was hidden when the wicked sorcerer cast his spell. I was able to discover the first clue before fleeing the capital. I have been searching for one like you who would brave the Challenge. I would have tried it myself had the ring fit upon me.”

They journeyed together for some way before stopping outside the gate to the great capital city of Rosebud.

“This is where we part ways, Alan.” said Eliza. “I fear the wicked sorcerer who cast the curse has a more sinister plan that merely shoes danced to pieces and will look for more clues. Good luck.”

Alan continued onward alone. As he grew closer and closer to the castle, he grew more apprehensive. But before he could talk himself into turning back he had arrived at the castle.

He told the guards outside that he was here for the Challenge, and was ushered inside to an audience with the Queen surrounded by her seven courtiers.

“My guards tell me that you are here to take the great challenge to see why my seven courtiers have danced their shoes to pieces every night.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“Before you begin, I must warn you, more than a dozen people have died looking for this reason.”

“Yes, your majesty. I do not fear death.”

“Good sir, please reconsider.” said Linkara. “The mystery of our shoes is not worth your life.”

“I still wish to try.”

“Very well.” Said Queen Margaret. “Linkara, please show this man to your suite.”

“As you wish, your majesty.” 

Alan followed Linkara up into a tower, where seven beds were arranged in a circle around the room, with a chair in the center.

“Do you have any requests for your last supper.” Said Linkara

“Are you so sure that it shall be one of my last?” Said Alan

“Only fools try to complete the Challenge. And fools are notoriously poor at solving even the simplest of mysteries.”

Quickly surmising that asking for nothing would only raise suspicion, he asked for a simple repast of bread and meat, with a cup of wine.

“It shall be done.” said Linkara, and slipped back down the stairs and Alan was left alone.

Alan started looking around the room, hoping for another clue to the mystery before nightfall, but there was nothing.

Soon enough, he heard a small group come up the stairs. Leading the way was Linkara, followed by Pollo, Nimue, Harvey, Erin, and 90’s Dude.

“I have your supper.” said Nimue. “I prepared it myself.”

“Thank you.” Said Alan. Pretending to sip from the cup. “What do you all do at the castle?”

“I am the Captain of the Guard!” Said 90’s Dude. “I am in charge of defense of the castle and all the surrounding lands.”

“I am the court historian, I know what once was so we do not repeat the past.” said Erin.

“I am the quartermaster of the castle, I manage the goods coming into and out of the castle.” said Nimue.

“I am the senchal of the castle, I take care of the domestic tasks of the castle.” said Pollo.

“I am the court wizard, I take care of the magical needs of the kingdom.” said Linkara

“And I’m the bard.” said Harvey.

As each one introduced themselves, Alan pretended to take another slip, slowly acting more and more tired. After Harvey’s introduction, Alan dropped the cup onto the floor, where it rolled under Erin’s bed. Linkara laughed “He is well and truly asleep! Now we can go.” Linkara made arcane gestures above his bed, and it swung into the air and a set of stairs appeared going down.

One by one they disappear into the earth, and just as the feather in 90’s Dude orange cap crested the top stair Alan leaps from the chair and down the stairs after the group.

In Alan’s haste to enter the stairwell, he bumped into 90’s Dude. 

“Linkara, Linkara!” 90’s Dude said. “I think we are being followed! I think someone bumped into me!”

“90’s Dude! There is no one following us. It must be our fellow servants urging us onwards.” said Erin.

“Of course.” said 90’s Dude

The group continued along until they came across a mighty forest. Only the trees were bare of their cloak of leaves, and their bare branches showed. But as they grew closer to the trees Alan noticed that there was something wrong with them.

And then he reached out with a knife to cut a branch, and the branch squirmed in his grip. An almighty crack sounded as he cut it.

“Linkara! Linkara!” 90’s Dude said. “I heard a crack! I think someone is following us.”

“No, 90’s Dude. Linksano said. There is no one following us. It is only our superiors doing their work.”

“Of course.” said 90’s Dude and they all continued onward.

Alan took a closer look as it writhed in his hands, and it appeared to be made out of bone and worms. Horror momentarily froze Alan in place, but he quickly wrapped the branch into his cloak and continued onward.

Gradually, the unnerving forest thinned out and became a tunnel again. Alan wanted to sigh in relief but he knew any sound he made would be heard by the courtiers. 

Deeper and deeper into the earth the tunnel went, and opened into a cavern lit by enchanted torches. The stone of the stalagmites seemed solid at first glance, but as the footpath came close to one Alan realized that they were really piles of maggots. Slipping in the putrid rot that emanated from the pile, Alan made a soft sound while catching his balance.

90’s Dude heard him.

“Linkara, Linkara!” he called out. “I think we are being followed! I heard someone breathing!”

“No, 90’s Dude.” said Harvey “It is only the breath of our master, for we grow near his throne.”

“Of course.” said 90’s Dude, and they all continued onward.

Alan was relieved that the cavern thinned to tunnel again, leaving the piles of maggots behind. He wondered who this master was, and hoped that Eliza’s magic ring would hide him from them. And suddenly they were there.

The tunnel opened into a giant cavern one final time. The courtiers flocked over to a dais on the far side of the room and bowed before the empty throne. With a bang, the sorcerer appeared. He was dressed all in black, with chains of silver wrapped around him from his shoulders to feet. And upon his face he wore a platinum mask.

As the courtiers rose from their bows, Alan noticed that they all wore platinum masks now upon their faces. Perhaps this was how they were cursed?

They all started dancing a dance that Alan was familiar with. But it was backwards. People rotated the wrong way, breaking apart instead of coming together.

And they danced.

And they danced.

And they danced all night.

Alan searched around the room. He found nothing besides the throne but a table piles of the strange platinum masks that everyone else was wearing, and wrapped one into his mantle.

Slowly, the dance wound to its end. The courtiers bowed again to the sorcerer and made their way to the tunnel. Alan slipped to the front of the line this time. Though the cavern of maggots, though the forest of worms, and back to the hall where they all slept.

Alan quickly sat back in his sentry chair, and pretended to sleep again before the first in line could crest the stairs under the bed. “Look,” said Linkara “It looks like the sleeping potion is still working.”

The seven courtiers slipped off their once again ruined shoes, and went to bed, secure in knowing that their secret was safe.

The next morning Alan was brought before Queen Margaret. “Have you discovered the mystery of the shoes that have been danced to pieces?”

“Yes, your majesty,” said Alan. “They go every night underground to a deep cavern, and dance strange dances for the enjoyment of a man that they call their master.”

“Madness!” Said Linkara. “He must have seen it in a dream.”

“No, it was a waking nightmare,” said Alan. He drew the branch of worms and the platinum mask. “Here is the proof of my journey following them all.”

“The King of Worms!” said Queen Margaret, standing. “I know his face and his magic. DIENDO.”

And the seven courtiers screamed, clawing at their faces, where the platinum had appeared. A fine lace of cracks had appeared on them, growing bigger, and finally crumbling. As the masks fell from their faces, they all began to weep.

“Linkara!” Queen Margaret called. “We must hurry, to the den of horrors, to see if the King of Worms is still there.”

Linkara, sniffled once or twice more, and replied. “Yes, my lady.” And stood, readying himself for their assault.

“90’s Dude!” Queen Margaret called out again, “Please watch over the others. Your enchanted sword should do damage to him if he comes here.”

90’s Dude shook off his malaise. “Yes, your majesty.”

“Alan, please show us the way.” said Queen Margaret. Then the three of them raced up to the tower room where the seven dancing courtiers had slept. Linkara made the arcane gestures again, and Queen Margaret and Linkara followed Alan down the tunnel.

Down past the forest of worms, down past the cavern of maggots, and finally to the cavern where they all danced. “He’s not here.” Alan said.

“The coward” said Queen Margaret, “he must have felt the enchantment breaking and fled. But I can at least destroy more of his handiwork.” She gestured at the piles of platinum masks and with a blast of magical fire, destroyed them.

“He not only was taking our wills, my lady.” Said Linkara, “but the dance itself was magical. It was supposed to bring ruin to the harvest.”

“So, Alan.” said Queen Margaret. “You have my deepest thanks for discovering this foul enchantment, but for also saving our kingdom. You have more than earned half the kingdom, and you shall be my heir so that all of it shall come into your hands.”

And so it came to pass the Kingdom of Rosebud south of the Great River became the Kingdom of Vigilance. And King Alan ruled there justly for all of his days.


End file.
